


Pictures Of You

by simplegirl



Category: The Mighty Boosh (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-15 23:38:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3466301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplegirl/pseuds/simplegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Howard returns from Denmark and Vince reveals a secret he's kept since they were kids</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pictures Of You

 

Howard isn't sure what he had expected when he returned from Denmark. He had hoped Vince would have missed him and that they'd share a brief hug when he came came back and things would be back to normal. Well, not the normal of the past few months, but the old normal. When they were like actual best mates and did things together.  
  
And he hoped no one would ever come across the commercial for Windy Blast Fast. But, as usual, luck was not on Howard Moon's side.  
  
  
He leaves his flatmates laughing at the telly and trudges upstairs to unpack. He lets out a sigh of relief when he notices his half of the wardobe is as empty as he left it. Except it's now more like a quarter of the wardrobe since Vince's clothes are spilling over into the empty space. But at least Adam hadn't moved in. It was bad enough having him in the shop, he didn't even want to think of Adam in his bed.  
  
He's hanging up his coat and hat when the door opens and Vince pokes his head in.  
  
"Alright, Howard," he says, almost shyly.

Howard doesn't look at him and just sets about taking his things out of his suitcase and replacing them around the room.  
  
"I'm glad you're back," Vince says, kicking his boots off as he settles cross-legged on Howard's bed and fiddles with the latch of his suitcase. Howard just huffs in response.  
  
"Really I am! I missed you."  
  
"Oh right. You missed me so much you went out and replaced me with the first berk with a moustache to come along."  
  
"That weren't me! Naboo said we had to get someone else in because I wouldn't get up in time to open the shop and couldn't be trusted to do the stocktaking. I told him you'd be back and that you'd be cross!"  
  
"What do you mean I'd be back? I told you I wouldn't be coming back to the shop. Oh wait, I get it. You just assumed I'd be a failure. That's what you think of me, is it?"  
  
"What?! No! I just...well, I hoped you'd be back. We're a double act, Howard. I didn't think you'd just leave me behind. Not forever."

"What about you? You were going off with the Black Tubes? I guess you're free to follow your dreams, but good old reliable Howard just needs to be around at your beck and call."  
  
"I wasn't going anywhere. The Black Tubes have never even played a gig outside of London. I wasn't leaving London or the flat or you. I just said I wasn't coming back because you said you weren't! I didn't want to leave you, Howard! I don't ever want to leave you. I want to be with you forever." Vince reaches out and grabs Howard's hand before adding softly, "I love you."  
  
Howard pulls his hand away abruptly and Vince looks up at him.  
  
"Don't, Vince. Just don't. You don't mean that. You don't know the first thing about love or commitment. You told me yourself that you're interested in thick girls who like bright colours and dancing. You've always been ready to throw me over for the first shiny thing that comes along. So what's the matter? Did Adam not make your tea the way you like it? Did he not put up with having to straighten your hair? You really expect me to believe you have feelings for me? You're not interested in me. You're just used to me. You probably suffered having to do things for yourself without your usual doormat of a supposed best mate around."  
  
Howard sounds defeated as he finishes. He sits at the edge of his bed and buries his head in his hands with a sigh. He hears Vince climb off the bed and begin to shuffle around on the floor, rummaging under his bed on the other side of the room. He looks up and sees Vince pull out the little locked box Vince keeps next to the box with his off cuts. Howard has never seen the contents of the box before and is curious what Vince could want from it at a moment like this. He had always assumed it contained Vince's glitter collection or some precious Gary Numan or David Bowie memorabilia. He's surprised to see it's full of papers and photos, what look to be the remnants of broken toys, and even a rock. Vince pulls out a folded up piece of paper and smooths it out on top of his bed. He's sitting with his legs tucked under himself, his socked feet peeking out behind him. Howard tries to peer around Vince's body to see what's on the paper, but Vince holds it to his chest and turns around, not looking up at Howard.  
  
"Do you remember when we were in primary school? We were supposed to draw a picture of the house we thought we'd live in when we were grown up. Like an idea of what our future would be. Where we'd live and with a family or whatever. Do you remember?"  
  
"What? Why are you bringing this up?"  
  
"Do you? Please, Howard."  
  
"Uhh, I guess so. And I seem to remember you couldn't be bothered to do your homework and ended up drawing something at lunch. After I reminded you."  
  
"Yeah, well I hadn't forgotten."  
  
  
 _"What's that you're carrying, Howard?" Vince asked as they walked to school.  
  
"It's my drawing for Social Studies. I didn't want it to get crumpled in my rucksack. Howard Moon isn't going to have his future squished by a lunchbox, no sir!"_  
  
 _"Lemme see!" Vince exclaimed, grabbing for the picture._  
  
 _"Whoa there, Vince. You'll get jam on it. How come you never finish eating breakfast before you leave your house?"_  
  
 _"I like to stay in bed as long as possible. But then I'm in a rush and I know you don't like to be kept waiting. And I don't mind eating on the way. Please, Howard, can I see it?"_  
  
 _"Okay. But don't touch it."_  
  
 _Howard stopped and held his drawing out for Vince to inspect. It showed a brick house with a fence and garden, the front of the house and the plants all evenly spaced and symmetrical. In the yard was a family - a man in a brown suit, a woman next to him, a little girl, a little boy, a dog, and a cat._  
  
 _"Who are they?" Vince asked, his brow furrowed as he pointed to the people._  
  
 _"That's me, of course," Howard answered, pointing to the man in the suit. "And that's my wife and our kids and our pets."_  
  
 _"Oh," Vince said quietly, staring hard at the drawing. "What's on your face?"_  
  
 _"A moustache. All men of action should have suitable facial hair, Vince. Where's your drawing? I bet it's all crumpled in your bag."_  
  
 _"Oh, yeah. Uhhh, I guess I forgot to do it."_  
  
 _"Vince, I've told you time and time again that homework is an important part of your education. The teachers don't buy your crazy excuses anyway. You can't keep telling them that an eagle flew into your window and stole your assignments for their nests. Or that a toothless walrus stole your pencils to replace his tusks."_  
  
 _Vince just shrugged and started walking again._  
  
 _"Well, at least we don't have Social Studies until after lunch. You can draw something then. Otherwise you might not pass the class. Then you'd have to repeat. And then we wouldn't have class together anymore."_  
  
 _"Okay. I guess I can draw something at lunch," Vince answered with a smile._  
  
  
 _During Social Studies the teacher had the students present their drawings in front of the class. Most drew rather traditional homes and family units. One boy drew a castle with a moat and a dragon, which was met with a titter of laughter from the other students and an unsuccessful attempt to disguise an eye roll from the teacher. Vince was the last to go to the front of the class and share his drawing._  
  
 _"When I grow up, I'm gonna live at the very top of the tallest lighthouse in the world. It'll take hours to get to the top. And no one will come visit because it's so high up and on a dangerous cliff. But sometimes, I'll lean my head out the window and let my hair blow in the wind. And the people in the town far away will see how genius my hair is and they'll all be jealous."_  
  
 _He quickly put his paper on top of the pile on the teacher's desk and made his way back to his seat with his head down. The snickers from his classmates were louder than the ones in response to the castle with the dragon._  
  
 _"He thinks he's a bird," whispered one boy to the boy sitting next to him._  
  
 _Vince tried to sink down as low as he could in his chair and couldn't focus on the rest of the lesson._  
  
  
Vince looks up at Howard and holds out the paper, slightly yellowed with age. Howard recognises it as one of Vince's drawings from when he was younger, but not one that he's seen before. There's a building that looks slightly like a spaceship with touches of glitter and a shiny door that looks like it was painted with nail varnish. And around it are all sorts of animals: a tiger and elephant, rabbits, penguins, and even a unicorn. By the door are two figures, one with an unruly mop of hair and tiny eyes, the other with sparkling blue eyes and a magnificent head of hair. Their hands are hands linked. Under the figures, he had written their names: Howard and Vince.  
  
"Vince?" Howard says, looking down to where his friend is still kneeling.  
  
"I hadn't forgotten the assignment. I worked on the drawing for ages."  
  
"Then why say you hadn't done it?"  
  
"I saw what you wanted. You wanted a wife and a family and a normal home. I wasn't in your picture of a perfect future. And I didn't want you to laugh at me. So I just drew a new picture and let everyone else laugh at me instead."  
  
"But...Vince, I don't understand."  
  
"Ever since we were kids, all I wanted was to be with you. It didn't matter what we did or where we were. The spaceship and the animals weren't the point. The point was that when I thought about growing up, I couldn't imagine being without you. No matter what I pictured, I wanted you to be there. But all you ever wanted was a normal life - to get married and settle down. And I've been selfish and I know I've been holding you back. I'm sorry, Howard, I really am. And I'm sorry I always ruin things for you. And I tried for so long to get you to notice me and I even started being mean to you to get you to pay me attention. Because any notice was better than none. And I know you think I don't know anything about commitment, but I've been in love with you for a really long time. I know you don't feel the same and that's okay and I'm fine with just staying mates. Because I do love you, Howard. But it doesn't have to be in a bumming sort of way because I love you no matter what. I just can't help it, I guess." Vince sniffles as he finished his speech, playing with the cuff of his shirt.  
  
"Vince, you berk," Howard replies after what felt like ages. Vince looks up, confused and slightly hurt, but he smiles slightly when he sees the smile on Howard's face. Howard reaches down and cups Vince's cheek. "We've known each other for over 20 years and you should know by now that I get things wrong all the time. I've lost count of all the times I've gotten us into trouble and you've had to save me. But the thing I was probably the most wrong about was thinking that I wanted or needed something other than us. You're my best mate, Vince and I do love you. And maybe even in a bumming way as well."  
  
Howard pulls Vince up onto his lap and into a hug. "And I'm allergic to dogs anyway, he murmurs against Vince's hair.


End file.
